Running-gear for automobiles.



VPATENTED MAY 21, 1907.

A. GROENIG. RUNNING GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

APPLIQATIOI FILED r7, 1906;

AUGUST GROENIG, OF HOLLOWV Y, MINNESOTA.

RUNNING-GEAR FOR AUTOMOBILES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Fatented May 21,1907.

Application filedMay '7, 1906. Serial No. 315,493.

To (all whom it Jim, concern:

Be it known that I, Accrfs'r ,Gaonxic, a

Minnesota, have invented certain new and usel'ul Improvements in Runningl lear for Automobiles; and I do hereby declare the following to be a lull, clear, and exact description of, the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art towhich it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to runnin gears for automobiles and is directed particularly to the improvement 'oi the pivotal connection between the Front or steering wheels and the ct'ii'iperating axle or connecting frame.

The invention consists of the novel devices and combinations of devices hereinafter described and delined in the claims.

The invention is illustrated in the acconb panying drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the several views.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view, showing the front axle of an automobile or similar vehicle, and showing, the wheels pivotally connected thereto in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2'isa view of the parts'shown in Fig 1, principally in elevation, with some parts sectioned on the line a? 11- of Fig. 1. 7 section on the line 1: x of Fig. 2, some parts being removed; and Fig. 4 is an elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 3, with some parts sectioned on the line .10 r of Fig, 3.

The numeral 1 indicates a yoke-like axle, the up-turned ends of which are formed with sleeves 12 in which are rigidly secured bearing sleeves I? having, at theirouter extremities,-

vertically spaced prongs or yoke-like extensions 4. Quite large bearing collars 5 surround the yokes 4 and are pivotally connected thereto by vertically extended trunnions 6 secured to the prongs of said yokes and \VOIk-r ing in seats in the said collars. These bearing collars 5 are thus pivotedior oscillatory movements on vertical axes, but are held against rotary movement.

The wheels 7 are provided with large hubs 8 that are journaled on the bearing collars 5. At their outer ends, the hubs 8 are, as shown, provided with integrally formed heads 9 that run against the outer edges of the respective bearing collars 5.- Ring-like nuts 10 which have threaded engagement With the inner Fig. 3 is a detail taken iir extremities of the hubs S engage the inner extremities of the bearing collars 5 and hold the wheels in working position thereon, while permitting the free rotation tlutreol.

The heads 9 ol' the hubs S are l'ormed with inwardly projecting collars or annular llangcs it which, in turn, are formed with diametrically opposite slots 12; which slots extend across a vertical plane intersecting the axes of the corresponding trunnions t').

Short driving shal'ts 13% are journaled in and extend through the nonrotary hearing sleeves 3. At their outwardly extended ends, the shal'ts'13 are provided with heads 14 that are equipped with diumetricallv opposite rollers 15. These rollers 15 work in the slots 12 of the huh flange 11, and their axes lie in a commonvertical plane with the axes of the corresponding trunnions 13. At their inner ends, the shafts 12% are provided with sprockets 16 or other means for transmitting rotary motion to the said shal'ts. \Vhen the sprockets 16 are employed, power driven sprocket chains (not shown) will run over the said sprockets.

Arms 17 are rigidly secured to the bearing collars 1') and project inward and l'orward thereof. The two arms 17 are connected by a long link 18, so that the two bearing collars and hence, the two steering wheels T will be given parallel n-lovements in thesteering action, as indicated by full and dotted lines in Fig. 1. Any suitable steeringconncctions for moving the link 18 may be provided.

As is evident, this improved dcviceali'ords means for transmitting motion to the steering wheels so that. all four wheels of the vehicle'may be used as traction wheels. The driving connections to the rear wheels may, of course, be of any suitable construction, many satisfactory forms of which are well known.

When the wheels stand in the plane at a right angle to the axes of the shafts 13, there will be no movement of the wheel hubs H with respect to the roller equipped heads of the said shafts 13; but when the wheels stand in a plane at an oblique angle to the axes of the shafts 13, and the wheels arethcn rotated", the rollers 15 will travel over the contacting surfaces of the slots 12.

The device described, while simple, strtmg and durable, will transmit motion tothe wheels with but a very slight loss due to l'riction.

What I claim is:

1. The combination with an axle or transverse support having, at its extremities, bearing yokes, of bearing collars connected to said yokes by vertical pivots, Wheels havin their hubs 1ournaled on the said bearing co lars, provided with inwardly projecting annular flanges formed with slots, and driv-.

ing shafts extended through said bearing yokes and. rovided with driving projections engaging the slots in the annular flanges of the hubs of the respective wheels, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an axle having bearing sleeves 2 formed With non-rotary yokes 4, of bearing collars 5 connected to said yokes by vertical pivots, of Wheels hav- 1 ing the hubs 8 journaled on said bearing collars and provided with inwardly pro j ectedo annular flanges 11 formed with slots 12, driv ing shafts 13 extended through said sleeves 3 and provided, at their outer ends, with heads 14 having rollers 1 that work in the slots 12 of said flanges 11, and means for imparting parallel oscillatory movements to said bearing sleeves on their vertical pivots, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

AUGUST GROENIG.

Witnesses:

A. D. CHENDEL, THos. E. SEx'roN. 

